Collapsible ladder.



D. P. CHESEBRO.

COLLAPSIBLE LADDER.

APPLICATION man OCT-2,1916.

l/V VEIV T019 mad [Zesera Patented July 3, 1917.

Far-- T FT@ I i l i DENISON P. CHESEIBRO, OF MOUNT KISCO, NEW YORK.

COLLAPSIBLE LADDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 3, an.

Application filed October 2, 1916. Serial No. 123,265

ter and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Ladders, of which the following is a specification. z

This invention relates more particularly 2 to collapsible ladders adapted for steam ship and sleeping car berths.

The object of the invention is to provide a ladder which may be readily expanded into open position or collapsed into a compact space and quickly locked in either condition with facility.

I have shown an'embodiment of my invention in the accompanying drawings and the invention will be hereinafter described and finally pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a front view of my improved ladder in open position and ready for use;

Fig. 2 is a side View of my improvedladder shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a front view of my improved ladder in collapsible position;

Fig. 5 is a side view partly in elevation of one of the rungs or steps of the ladder;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken on 6--6 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a front view of a slightly modified form of my invention;

Fig. 8 shoWs the same collapsed;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged front view of the upper end;

Fig. 10 is a similar side View thereof; and

Fig. 11 is a detail of the spindle for the rungs.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Fig. 1, the bar 10 may be any suitable bar suitably fastened to the side of a berth of a steamer, steam boat or sleeping car, or may be indicative of the side of the berth itself. The ladder itself consists of two uprights, 11 and 12, of suitable length, each of which has at its upper end a hook shaped member 13 secured by bolts 14 thereto. These hook shaped members 13 grip or embrace the bar 10, as clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Each of the uprights,

are provided on their inner sides with longitudinal grooves 15 of channel or U-shape, and of such size, as clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 6, as to accommodate the ends of the ladder rungs or steps 16, the rungs or steps being of such a width throughout as to be insertible into the said grooves. The ends of these rungs 16 are provided with holes 17 for the entrance of bolts 18, which bolts 18 pass through the ladder sides and through these slots, so as to act as pivots for the ladder rungs or steps 16. These bolts also reinforce the grooved portion of the uprights. The ladder rungs at the ends thereof are rounded 01?, as indicated by 19 and 19 in Fig. 1, so as to prevent any clamping action, otherwise the steps 16 fit closely the channels of the ladder sides 11 and 12, as is clearly seen in Fig. 6. The object of the U- shaped, grooves of the ladder sides 11 and 12is to permit the steps 16 to fit into the grooves during the collapsed position of the ladder, so that the facing edges 20 and 21 of the ladder sides 11 and 12 may abut, as clearly shown in Fig. a, during which abutment, the steps 16 are inclosed by the U- shaped grooved ladder sides. The lower end of the upright 11 is closed by a block 11 and the corresponding end of the upright 12 is partially closed by a block 12, having its upper face beveled. This beveled face engages the lowermost rung 16 when the ladder is collapsed. For the same purpose, the upper end of the upright 11 is provided with a beveled block 11 and the upper end of the upright 12 with a full block 12'. In this manner, a very compact collapsing is obtained. A hook 22, pivoted at 23, to the upright 11, is adapted to be engaged with a pin 2a of the upright 12, to securely retain the ladder in collapsed position.

The ladder is clearly shown in its collapsed position, in Fig. 4, and in this position, it may be placed at one end of the berth in hanging position, by means of one of its hook shaped members 13, or it may be placed within the berth alongside of the mattress. Also, if desired, it may be placed below the berth or at any other suitable and convenient place. When it is desired to use the ladder, the hook 22 is released, one ladder side 11, for instance, is moved away from the other ladder side 12 and by this movement, the ladder steps 16 swing on their pivots, that is, on the bolts 18, until the ladder side 11 at its hook shaped end is brought in line with the other hook shaped end, or that of the ladder side 12. It may then be suitably hung and used.

In Figs. 7 to 11, I have shown a slightly modified form of construction. The uprights 11 and 12 are provided at their upper ends with swiveled hooks 25 and 26, which may be turned to any position desired. The rungs 16 are mounted in the grooves of the uprights in a similar manner to that shown in the first form of construction, with the exception that at one end of each rung, and alternating from one rung to the next, the same are provided with a special form of bolt or spindle shown on an enlarged scale in Fig. 11, which is of square cross-section, except at'the bearing portions 28 and 29, which are round to permit pivotal movement of the rung. At one end there is provided a square head 30 and at the other end an enlarged head 31. A hook 32 is provided on the upright below each squared end 30, having a square recess 33 adapted to be en gaged with the said end 30.

In this way, the ladder is made rigid in open position, so that any danger of injury by accidental collapse of the ladder is entirely avoided. In closed position, one of the hooks 32 of one upright is engaged with a pin 3-1- of the other, and the ladder locked against opening.

I have shown, preferred and satisfactory embodiments of my invention, but changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, as will be found in the appended claim.

I claim:

A collapsible ladder comprising side members composed of channel iron bars, steps pivoted at their opposite ends to said bars and adapted to fold within the channels thereof, spindles having angular central portions engaging said steps, provided with rounded portions engaging the holes of said flanges and having angular projecting ends respectively, pins on the opposite side members, and hasps provided with angular recesses, each of said hasps being adapted to engage one of said angular extensions for Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). 0. 

